A reliable, robust assay system which can be deployed to a point of care is useful in a number of settings. For example, where there is an infectious disease outbreak in a remote area (e.g., the recent Ebola outbreaks), such an assay is of benefit for arresting the outbreak as quickly as possible (infected individuals can be quickly located then isolated) and for keeping health care providers safer.
An assay driver system can be used to automate an assay. One type of assay driver induces movement of magnetic beads which contact sample (or control) and then carry it into contact with assay reagents. The movement has to be carefully timed, to ensure proper reaction times in different reagents. The results must also be readable for fast interpretation. One type of discontinuous point of care assay system suitable for use with an assay driver herein is disclosed in US Publ'n No. 2016/0195523 (incorporated by reference). This application discloses a cartridge having wells containing various assay reagents. Magnetic beads also reside in the wells, and the magnetic beads are moved among the wells in order to carry sample into contact with different assay reagents in different wells.
An assay driver system can be used to automate the assay, by moving magnets (and carrying the magnetic beads) through the wells of the cartridge, and into contact with the assay reagents in various wells. The movement has to be carefully timed, to ensure proper reaction times in different reagents. The results must also be read and sent for interpretation, and to permit quick action. No current system automates these functions. Remote authentication of the cartridge (to provide the proper instructions to the driver) and automation of the individual assays which can be performed by the cartridge, coupled with reading and sending of assay results from the point of care is needed, to solve the problems associated with a rapidly spreading infection.
In currently known assay driver systems the movement of magnetic beads has to be carefully timed to ensure proper reaction times between them and different reagents. Additionally, during mixing of the beads with the reagents in wells of an assay cartridge, an appropriate magnetic field and movement of it has to be applied to prevent clustering of beads while they are being moved. Clustering prevents proper mixing of the beads with the reagents in the wells. Hence there is a need for an improved automated assay driver system which is more accurate, more efficient, is less vulnerable to inaccuracies and facilitates faster interpretation of assay results.